1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of fasteners for securing webs and belts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently enacted laws require seats within automobiles for restraining a child or infant. Typically, the seats include a harness which is releasably securable around the child with the harness passing over the shoulders and having a front end releasably locked to a buckle or similar fastening device. Such a seat with harness is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,889 issued to Indiana Mills & Manufacturing, Inc. The harness passing over the child's shoulders and through the seat has an opposite end frictionally engaged by a web adjuster mounted to the seat. The web adjuster has a pivotally mounted cam member which may be released to facilitate sizing of the harness relative to the child. Such web adjusters are also shown in U.S. Design Pat. Nos. 296,678 and 303,232 assigned to Indiana Mills & Manufacturing, Inc. Other web adjusters incorporating pivotally mounted cams with gripping surfaces for holding webs are shown in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,434,186 issued to Rennert and 3,872,550 issued to Yang.
The aforementioned web adjusters include an outwardly extending handle allowing the user to pivot the cam member for releasing the web relative to the adjuster. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,852 assigned to Indiana Mills & Manufacturing, Inc. a rotatable rod mounted to the child's seat extends through the web adjuster handle to allow the user to rotate the rod and thereby pivot the web adjuster handle. I have provided a web adjuster having a more compact means for operating the pivotally mounted cam member of the web adjuster. Disclosed herein is such a web adjuster having alternate designs. In one design, the cam member may be pushed for pivoting the cam member whereas in an alternate design, the control means may be pulled for pivoting and thereby releasing the cam member.
The web adjusters and buckle locks for child restraint seats of the prior art are operated independently of one another. In other words, the buckle and lock must be released by one actuator, while the web adjuster has a separate and independent actuator which allows the web passing through the web adjuster to be adjusted. What is needed is a buckle lock and web adjuster assembly whose actuating systems are coupled so that the process of placing and securing the child to the child restraint seat is accomplished more easily by allowing both ends of the harness to be loose relative to the seat whenever the buckle is unlocked. Thus, egress and ingress of the child relative to the seat and harness is facilitated. Once the child is positioned on the seat and the harness is extended over the child, the harness is buckled simultaneously locking the buckle and the web adjuster, and allowing the web to be pulled tight.